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Self driving shuttle trial set for beach-side Glenelg

Australian company SAGE Automation is partnering with US-based Local Motors and the City of Holdfast Bay to deliver the world’s first trial of an autonomous shuttle and smart transit hub solution.

The self-driving shuttle named ‘Olli’ and autonomous smart transit hub, named ‘Matilda’, talk to each other and the internet to give passengers a completely autonomous, smart ride.

SAGE Automation and Local Motors welcome the opportunity to trial this first-of-a-kind smart mobility solution.

“With South Australia’s friendly regulations and aggressive commitment to innovation, we believe that Holdfast Bay marks the first of many deployments in the region,” Local Motors EVP, Matthew Rivett said.

“We are equally excited to be working with SAGE Automation and using our open platform theology to develop partnerships with other Australian technology companies,” he said.

SAGE CEO Adrian Fahey said this trail is just the beginning.

“It provides a great opportunity to further develop our relationship with Local Motors to supply these mobile interactive transit hubs to the global market,” Mr Fahey said.

“This trial is another example of the technology skills developed by SAGE Automation early in the automotive manufacturing sector bringing the best thinking, advanced technology, capability and skills into the emerging driverless vehicle industry,” Mr Fahey said.

Local Motors will receive up to $500,000 and SAGE Automation will receive up to $200,000 from the government’s Future Mobility Lab Fund to conduct the last mile shuttle and shuttle stop trial.

The trial site at Holdfast Bay is just minutes from SAGE's Advanced Manufacturing facility where Matilda will be engineered and manufactured.

The smartest, most accessible transport of the future

The Local Motors Olli shuttle is fully integrated with the SAGE's Matilda.

Both Olli and Matilda:

draw on the cognitive power of IBM Watson. Olli is the world’s only self-driving vehicle to tap into IBM Watson

are designed to be accessible for everyone, especially age care and disability groups

are a completely self-powered and relocatable last-mile solution

communicate with each other and the internet to give passengers an interactive, personalised experience, including real-time travel updates and route assistance.

Matilda is solar and self-powered and is built to be relocatable within a few hours – giving road authorities flexibility to trial different ‘last mile’ locations, or put additional systems in place for major public events.